Reviews tagging 'Classism'

Foundryside, by Robert Jackson Bennett

15 reviews

laguerrelewis's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I came across this book thanks to its mention in an essay about creative commentary through sci-fi/fantasy systems, in which it was lauded in the same breath as N.K. Jemisin’s The Fifth Season. I am happy to report that it lives up to this comparison. The “magic” system of this book is incredibly unique and inspired, and Robert Jackson Bennett skillfully increases how complexly it is applied in a very rewarding way. His style is similar to Brandon Sanderson, with a nice balance of humor, despair, and optimism. And the best part is this book is basically a series of heists with ever increasing stakes and reality-warping magic! This would be a 5 star review if not for some politics regarding policing that feel outdated from a 2023 perspective and the handling of a certain characters’ trauma. I think that element could’ve been handled more tactfully. Ultimately, though,  this book was quite the enjoyable read, and I’m excited to read the next installment!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/injury detail, Sexual harassment, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Gore, Grief, Alcohol, Slavery, Torture, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Medical trauma, Violence, Vomit, War, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Classism, Death, Medical content, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Cannibalism and Death of parent

lanid's review

adventurous dark funny mysterious

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gore, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Blood, Body shaming, Classism, Sexual assault, Violence, Confinement, Death, and Body horror

amandabcook's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Medical trauma, and Slavery

Moderate: Blood, Gore, Injury/injury detail, and War

Minor: Sexual content, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, and Sexual violence

w33nr's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Body horror, Blood, Classism, Gore, and Sexual assault

iforgotilivedhere's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

I loved this book! It was so so good but I had problems near the end.

Spoiler

Near the end whenever Sancia and her crew are trying to get the imperiat and Clef back, we had a whole section of them just going over scientific and boring shit that could of been easily summarized in a paragraph or just a page.

 
That was really my only problem. I’m so exited to see how Sancia and Berenice’s relationship grows. I’m so exited for some good sapphic romance!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Violence, Torture, Blood, Body horror, and Slavery

Moderate: Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Alcohol, Sexual content, and Sexism

Minor: Emotional abuse, Genocide, Child abuse, Death of parent, Death, Classism, Cursing, and Bullying

randiriel's review against another edition

Why, in a fictional world with fictional locations, is a slur etymologically based on a real world location used? He could have said travelers. He could have said nomads. He could have said anything. Instead he chose a slur. I would have DNFed and returned it at that point if it wasn't a library book. Instead, I pressed on, and found lazy and mediocre writing. Phrases are repeated within sentences, worldbuilding is dumped through clumsy character dialogue, the editing is poor, the characters are shallow and not consistent (one claims to be vehemently opposed to killing, but proceeds to have no problems with it minutes later), the worldbuilding and magic system are the only things worth reading this book for. Even the contrived swearing is lazy; swears roll off the tongue, these don't. Not the worst book I've read this year. Not remotely the best. Compared to the other titles I've read this year, I'd call this firmly below average.

I wrote that much partway through reading. I've come to amend.

Spoiler

If you can use anything but rape, DON'T USE RAPE.

This has now passed into bad book territory. 75% through and I'm officially DNFing it. An extremely rare occurrence, which should say something.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma and Mental illness

Moderate: Slavery, Medical trauma, Trafficking, Suicide, Sexism, Murder, Mental illness, Violence, Torture, Sexual assault, War, Death, Kidnapping, Cursing, and Classism

Minor: Cannibalism, Vomit, and Racial slurs

rossandhissandwich's review

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Violence, Death, Torture, and Slavery

Moderate: Body horror, Gore, Vomit, Classism, and Car accident

Minor: Misogyny, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Sexual assault, and War

spacecurl's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

I picked this book up because I loved the cover, it's stunningly beautiful. It has been a while since I read a fantasy book with a lot of world building so it took me a little bit to get into, but the magic system was really interesting and the highly flawed characters that learned to work with each other over the course of the book was really fun to read. 

It was a bit gruesome in parts which took me by surprise, but it matches the overall story and atmosphere of the book so it was tolerable to my soft heart haha

All in all I really enjoyed this book and will be reading the other two in the series in the future.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Torture, Vomit, Violence, Slavery, and Body horror

Moderate: Death, Excrement, Gore, Murder, Car accident, and Classism

Minor: Terminal illness, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Misogyny, and War

faduma's review

adventurous challenging dark informative mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Classism, Forced institutionalization, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Medical content, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Body horror, Confinement, Injury/injury detail, Sexual harassment, and Slavery

unboxedjack's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Classism, Death, Gore, Medical trauma, Slavery, and Violence